Chief Ministers stress securing rights of provinces
Summary
Chief Ministers of all seven provinces have demanded stronger fiscal federalism, greater provincial authority and faster transfer of police and civil service powers. Meeting in Biratnagar, they issued the Koshi Declaration 2026 calling for expanded infrastructure, direct interprovincial air links and clearer revenue-sharing arrangements.
Key Points
- The Inter-Provincial Chief Ministers’ Conference 2026 in Biratnagar ended with the Koshi Declaration 2026, signed by all seven provincial chief ministers.
- The declaration prioritizes economic partnership, interprovincial connectivity, infrastructure expansion and protection of provincial rights under fiscal federalism.
- The chief ministers asked the federal government to let provinces approve large investment projects, transfer full fiscal equalisation grants, and increase equalisation funding while reducing conditional grants.
- They also demanded immediate legislation and asset transfer for provincial civil service administration, police powers, and federal offices performing provincial-level functions.
